06/10/2026
John 7:37-39-Pentecost “Living Waters from Within”
Our lesson begins with Jesus’ own words: “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink!” For the one who believes in me from within him will flow rivers of living water. The key word here to stress is again: “Believe”. In our “new” lives, we are born out of our Belief and Faith in Christ Jesus. No Belief, No Faith! No new life! By “living” waters within us, Jesus is simply saying the Holy Spirit will come to us, and dwell within us. He will be our advocate, our counselor, and give us a gift or several gifts because we believe in Jesus! Because we have faith in him, and because we submit our lives to him- the gift or gifts we receive from the Spirit are, of course, spiritual in nature. They are spiritual gifts and those gifts we receive allow us ourselves to become the “source” of living water that he speaks of to others. Why? For the common good of us all to enhance and to build up the spiritual body of Christ itself, the Bride of Christ: His Church, and the Community of Faith. The gifts we receive are meant to unite us- to build us up as One and as members of Christ’s Universal Church and as believers, to bring non-believers into salvation. The Apostle Peter in his letter in 1 Peter chapter 4 said the following: “Each of you use whatever gift you have received to serve others as faithful stewards of God’s grace in all its various forms! We should realize also some believers may be given similar gifts but, personally, they are unique to that person because that person may have natural gifts or natural talents unlike others so the spiritual gift they receive is purposely fitted or appropriate for that person, who will then add to the diversity and to the oneness of Christ’s Body itself, the Church. Nothing is given out haphazardly or without perfect forethought and predetermined by God’s grace working in and through his Holy Spirit! Some receive what we call speaking gifts: verbal spiritual gifts like prophesy, knowledge, wisdom, teaching, exhortation- that work in harmony with one’s own natural gifts. Others receive what is often called “serving” gifts or non-verbal gifts like leadership, and giving, and mercy, and faith and discernment. All these, both verbal and non-verbal, gifts are permanent gifts that are meant to edify the Church body and to glorify God! At the beginning of the Church in the first century and shortly afterwards those who worked miracles or did healings or spoke in various tongues (languages), these were temporary gifts. They were mostly limited to that “Apostolic Age” because they were meant to authenticate the apostles and their message as the “True Word” of God until God’s written Word was completed and it became self-authenticating by those who read or heard it. The point to all this is that all spiritual gifts each of us have in one form or another are from the Holy Spirit. All “true” believers have a gift! A spiritual gift or gifts from the Lord that is unique and appropriate to that person who is to use that spiritual gift along with the natural gifts to honor and to glorify God through the Body of God, his Church because the Church is the Spiritual Body of Christ itself here on earth! And we are all members of the Body of Christ and that Spirit that is in you right now gives life and growth and direction to your life if you allow it, and if your Faith and Belief are in harmony with it.
I wanted to mention a few things about Pentecostalism. I have a few friends here who are Pentecostals which seems to be quite popular in DeQuincy and in other parts of Louisiana as well as in the world. I have been to revivals in Pentecostal churches. Since it is Pentecost- 50th day after Easter- 10 days after Jesus’ Ascension, let me say Pentecostals are committed to their beliefs as all Christians are from different denominations. Each one is special. But what I find fascinating is that Pentecostalism was actually born out of the Wesleyan Holiness Movement at the beginning of the 20th century, and as we know, it teaches that all Christians may receive a Baptism in the Holy Spirit, that is the source of power for living an Apostolic Life and for engaging in an Apostolic Ministry. Well, all that’s true with what most believe. How can you be a Christian if you have not been sealed in Baptism by the Holy Spirit or the Holy Spirit doesn’t abide in you? It all comes down to your belief and faith in Christ himself.
In 1906-1909, in Los Angeles, a Black African-American pastor (William Seymour) preached on 3 important topics: salvation, holiness, and power that would become popular among Pentecostal believers. But most Pentecostals, ignore centuries of Christian history and they contend as well that historic
creeds like the Apostle’s Creed or the Nicene Creed fail to communicate the essence of Christianity adequately. For them the sole guarantor of Apostolic faith and life is the Holy Spirit! It’s interesting that Pentecostal’s doctrine and discipline borrow heavily from our founder, John Wesley. His doctrines and his disciplines that emphasized Salvation, Sanctification, and Baptism of the Holy Spirit. But Pentecostalism is highly critical of the institutionalization in churches. They just try to keep it simple and basic for most church requirements are few.
No hierarchy is required, no buildings are necessary, no mandatory level of education for its leaders. It’s all about the Holy Spirit, that the Holy Spirit empowers each person for some form of ministry. Worship (like most) becomes an act of praise, and hope, and the proclamation of the Gospel. Sometimes there will be clapping and oral testimonies or what God is doing now…dancing, drums, etc. All these are considered genuine forms of spiritual worship. I wanted to mention this because it is Pentecost, when we remember the Holy Spirit was sent by God to touch us, to abide in us, and to guide us in our faith lives.
The Body of Christ is like a big tent. Pentecostals, Catholics, Lutherans, Episcopalians, and all other denominations…we all have something in common though we may have taken different avenues or directions, in our faith lives. The one common thing we all share because of our faith and belief in Jesus is the Holy Spirit of God! He is in each of us and that’s all we need to realize and to understand though we may differ on many issues and principles we are all members of the Spiritual Body of Christ! That’s all that is important, isn’t it?
